Automatic railway-gate.



' PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

. J. P. FOWLER.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE.

' APPLIOATION FILED MAY 16, 1903. Y

2 SHEBTSSHBET 1- N0 MODEL.

PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

J. P. FOWLER.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

2 8HEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented April 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA P. FOWLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,518, dated April 26, 1904.

Application filed May 16, 1903. Serial No. 157,499. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA P. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Railway- Gates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in railway-gates, and has for its object to improve the construction of railway-gates and to provide automatic means for operating the gates which will be entirely upon the surface, the gates adapted to normally extend across the railroad-track longitudinally of the roadway and capable of being operated by an approaching train to swing them automatically at right angles to their former position, so that they will extend across the roadway and lie parallel with the rails while the train is passing.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in Which Figure l is a plan View of a portion of a railroad-track, showing my improved gates links D with one member of a bell-crank lever E, which is pivoted underneath the rails.

- The other member of the bell-crank lever E is pivoted to a bar F, which extends away from the roadway longitudinally of the track and is connected at its other end to a crankarm Gr, formed with a shaft G, which extends transversely of the track and is journaled in suitable bearings at each end. To the inner end of one of the bars F is pivoted a link H, and the other end of this link is connected to one end of a lever I, which is pivoted intermediate of its length, and the other end of the lever I is pivoted to one end of a link J, the other end of said link J being connectedto the other bar F. Thus if one of the bars F is moved in" one direction the opposite movement is transmitted to the other bar. It will be understood that there are two systems of these levers, links, and bars between each pair of rails, one to operate one set of. gates upon one side of the track and the other to operate the other set.

Each of the transverse shafts G has formed therewith two short crank-arms G and connected to these crank-arms by the Vertical links K are two inclined bars L, one extending in one direction from the shaft G and the other in the opposite direction. -Theother ends of these bars L are pivoted at the points L to a railway-tie or other stationary object. It will thus be seen that when any of the inclined bars L are depressed the shafts G will be rocked, and thereby operate the system of levers and links, so as to swing the gates.

The operation of the device in detail is as follows: The train or locomotive has depending from it at a convenient point and located in such a position laterally that it will be in alinement with the bars L a roller or other contact device M. The gates in their normal position will be, as shown in Fig. 2, across the railway-track. A train when it approaches the crossing will press downward the contactbar L by means of the roller'M, as shown in 'Fig. 3, and in depressing this bar the shaft G will be rocked, and therefore each of the bars F connected to the rock-shaft nearest the approaching train will be pulled toward the train, and this movement, through the bellcrank levers E, links D, and crank-arms C will swing the gates nearest the approaching train across the roadway, and this motion will be transmitted to the opposite bars F through the links J, levers I, and links H, so that said opposite bars F will be caused to move away from the approaching train, and therefore operate the other bell-crank levers E, links D, and crank-arms C, so as to swing the pair of gates upon the opposite side of the roadway from the approaching train across the roadway, and the opposite rock-shaft G will be rocked by these opposite bars F, and therefore the bar L, which is in alinement with the roller of the approaching train, will be raised so as to be in a position to be engaged by the roller M after the train has passed, and after the train has passed the roadway or crossing it will strike this bar L, just mentioned, and then the opposite movement will be transmitted to the whole system of levers, links, and bars, so as to swing the gates back to their normal positionacross the railway-track. It will thus be seen that all movements are positive and operated directly from the train, there being no springs or other appliances of like character to get out of order or become broken.

The invention has the following advantages: The gates are positive, reliable, and automatic in operation, they normally extend transversely of a track to prevent the same from being used as a passage-way, and they are swung transversely of a roadway by an approaching train, all four of the gates being operated simultaneously and moved with perfeet freedom.

Of course it is understood that one gate could be used upon each side of the railway, so that each gate would either swing entirely across the railroad-track or across the roadway; but as the railway-track is generally narrower than the roadway in most cases it would be preferable to use the double gates.

In order to prevent the gates from striking any persons who might be crossing the railroad at about the time the gates were operated, I intend to provide an electric bell to give notice of the approaching train a short time before it strikes the inclined bar, and I also intend to provide signal-lamps upon the upper end of the gate-spindles, so as to give notice Whether the gates are opened or closed.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- 1. In an automatic railroad-gate, gates pivoted upon each side of the railroad-track and normally extending across the same, crankarms secured to the spindle of each of the gates, bell-crank levers connected to the crank-arms, longitudinal bars to which the other ends of the bell-crank levers are connected, rock-shafts journaled transversely of the rails at a distance each side of the crossing, arms secured to the rock-shafts to which the other ends of the longitudinal bars are connected, means extending between the opposite longitudinal bars so as to cause one of the bars to move in the opposite direction to the bar directly operated upon, means whereby the approaching train will rock the nearest rock-shaft so as to swing the gates across the roadway, and means whereby the other rock-shaft upon the other side of the roadway will be rocked to return the gates to their normal position, as specified.

2. In an automatic railroad-gate, swinging gates pivoted upon each side of the railroadrails and normally extending across the railway-track, crank-arms connected to the spindles of the gates, bell-crank levers connected at one end to the crank-arms, longitudinal bars to which the other ends of the bell-crank levers are connected, means interposed between the members of each pair of longitudinal bars so as to reverse the movement of the opposite bar when one is operated, two rockshafts journaled transversely of the rails, and one located at a distance each side of the crossing, crank-arms formed with the rockshaft to which the other ends of the longitudinal bars are connected, inclined bars pivoted at their lower ends to a stationary point, crank arms formed with the rock shafts, links connecting said crank-arms with the other end of the inclined bars, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSHUA P. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

SIMON BERGER, JOSEPH MALLON. 

